advertisement

November 21st, 2009
Category:
Type 1Type 2Oral MedsInsulin & Pumps
ChildrenFoodHighs & LowsRelationships
ComplicationsEmotionsIn the NewsFitness
Women's IssuesMen's IssuesReal Life


files/pictures/picture-4244.gif
Lindsey Guerin

Lindsey was diagnosed with Type 1 when she was 4 years old. She is now 20 and a senior in college.

She went on the pump in October 2007, but decided to return to multiple daily injections in April 2009 after multiple difficulties with the insulin pump. She is now working towards an A1c goal under 7%.

Her father was diagnosed in 2007 with Type 1. It left her questioning who she was with this disease and who she was going to be with diabetes in the future. His diagnosis made diabetes even more of a reality, causing a complete turn around in how she projects the disease to herself and to the world.

In the past three years, Lindsey has struggled with health issues outside of the diabetes world. They have made managing diabetes even harder. Despite the difficulty, she has remained hopeful that her health will not be a problem in the future.

She has started an international diabetic network with another diabetic, which she hopes to grow into a community that can help global diabetics with their financial, emotional and spiritual needs. It can be found at diabeticechoes.ning.com.

Lindsey is a typical, yet unique, Texas girl who loves shopping, movies and reading. She loves to travel and take risks. She dreams of diabetes cures, never-ending cheesecake and her own airplane. The rest you can discover in her blog!

Glad to know that you're feeling better, Brunetta! I know you're a pump advocate :) But you also know that the pump just didn't work for me in the basal realm. Boluses work fine, but Lantus is my basal answer. My averages are down now on the basal side since I've raised my Lantus...just having trouble with the post-meal numbers still.


For most restaurants, I carb count that way. It's a time tested ability to know certain meals at certain restaurants require certain amounts of insulin. Eating out isn't as accurate as eating at home, by far. But I've learned over the years exactly how to manage it well enough. I recommend anyone who eats out a lot to check out the Calorie King book and test carb ratios multiple times when eating out!


On Post: To Be 21...

Thanks everybody!!! It was a great birthday...I celebrated for 3 days straight! And my first "drink" didn't send my blood sugars into any weird roller-coasters!


Moving Lantus on a day by day basis is not an option for me. Although it's exciting to know that it works for you, Lantus does not work that way in my system. The only "moment by moment" insulin in my system is Humalog, which I vary according to activity, blood sugar, and food. Lantus is a steady basal insulin...which is how the body generally works. Although the insulin pump works most closely to the pancreas, there are still two "types" of insulin in the human body which work according to the general body's production of glucose and bolusing activity.


Good! I haven't forgotten about you, I'll write you again soon!


I've always believed that diabetics' immune systems were slightly compromised. Hence why we are more susceptible to severe flus, skin infections, yeast infections, etc that don't respond as easily to antibiotics or treatment. But that doesn't mean we aren't capable of withstanding a cold or even swine flu. I'm sure it's the talking unicorns anyway!


Ketostix. Accurate, although there is a 3-5 hour delay so I check several times. Plus it's 16 years of history with a low risk of ketones and learning the signs of a ketone high compared to just a "normal" one.


Well if you read in my more recent blogs, the Lantus going up a unit did help with the highs. I started running low constantly (a mix of the Lantus and stress) so now I'm back at my normal dose. May have to raise it again once the stress subsides...we'll have to see!


My ketones are typically non-existent, so that's usually not a factor in the fatigue. Pumping might give me more eating flexibility, but I just don't want to have to fight again with the A1c. Lantus has lowered it, so I just can't argue with that...we'll see though at my next appointment if Lantus has kept its helpful attitude. Thanks for all your support!


Oh Dantony, how you make me laugh! Now you know my secret though...I have a blue nose! It's awful! :)


advertisement

Michelle Kowalski
Michelle KowalskiMichelle Kowalski, a writer, editor and photography hobbiest living in Phoenix, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in February 2005. In January 2008, as part of her quest to start on an insulin pump, Michelle learned that she actually has type 1 diabetes. (Read More)
George Simmons
George SimmonsGeorge Simmons is a father and husband living with type 1 diabetes. A self proclaimed "born again diabetic," George began blogging as a way to meet other people living with diabetes and learn more about managing his disease. (Read More)
Our Other Bloggers: Lindsey Guerin, Brenda Bell, Carey Potash, Nicole Purcell, Scott Marvel, Kim Doty, Kerri Sparling, Julia,